Compression bras are used to help reduce wound complications, provide comfort and chest wall support after cardiothoracic surgeries. The patients who undergo cardiothoracic surgeries, heart bypass, heart valve replacement and lung resections benefit from chest compression. The benefit from the compression bra is to help reduce the swelling after surgery of the chest wall and breasts. The bra supports the breasts for less tension on the sternal incision. If the tension on the skin from the weight of the breasts is sufficient the skin could open causing a wound dehiscence. The dehiscence can increase the infection rates after surgery and cause a prolonged recovery from surgery.
Patients typically require multiple chest tubes after surgery. The chest tubes drain extra fluid from the chest. These tubes are temporary and once they are removed there is an incision from the site of the tube. The bra can facilitate healing of the chest tube sites by protecting the incisions sites from contacting other areas of the skin. Typically, the incisions for the chest tubes are placed where the skin folds and is in contact with other areas of skin. The elastic portion of the inferior aspect of the bra is wide to provide coverage of the entire thoracic cage. The chest tube sites are variable in placement depending on the surgery and the physician choice and the wider elastic support covers the potential incision sites. The wider band around the torso will help prevent movement of the bra and provide stabilization for support. Supporting the breasts after cardiothoracic surgery provides comfort for the patient. The clips on the bra provide adjustability and ease for evaluating the incisions. The mesh for the bra provides ventilation to make the bra cooler, while worn for a prolonged period of time after surgery. Traditionally, the bras do not have elastic to cover the entire thoracic cage and are not made with mesh to help reduce the heat for extended wearing.